CONGRESS WRAPPING UP WORK MANY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ISSUES WILL MOST LIKELY HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL 2005.Byline: Lisa Friedman Washington Bureau Congress returns to work Tuesday for a speedy post-election session that will likely leave many Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, issues unresolved until 2005. Bills addressing immigration immigration, entrance of a person (an alien) into a new country for the purpose of establishing permanent residence. Motives for immigration, like those for migration generally, are often economic, although religious or political factors may be very important. , gangs and movie piracy are expected to wither as politicians concentrate on wrapping up nine massive spending bills and raising the limit on the federal debt - which currently stands at $7.4 trillion - so the government can spend even more money. Some bipartisan local bills do have a shot at passage, including one designating the mountains above the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. as part of the U.S. parks system. Another would allocate $10 million for the restoration of Mission San Gabriel San Gabriel (săn gā`brēəl), city (1990 pop. 37,120), Los Angeles co., SW Calif.; inc. 1913. Fabric, furniture, paper products, tools, and aircraft parts are manufactured. and California's 21 other missions. But in the quick-and-dirty week ahead, the focus will be money. ``It will be an interesting test of party unity and leadership ability, and also a test of whether the partisanship of the past election season can be overcome to get some federal business done,'' said Tim Ransdell, director of the California Institute for Federal Policy Research. On that score, Democratic lawmakers are not hopeful. ``I wouldn't be surprised if we renamed a few post offices, (but) we're probably not going to pass an intelligence bill,'' said Rep. Brad Sherman Bradley J. "Brad" Sherman (born October 24 1954) is an American politician. He has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1997, representing California's At-large congressional district. , D-Sherman Oaks. The intelligence reform bill based on recommendations from the 9-11 Commission is stuck in a deadlock between the House and Senate. Sherman also predicted Congress would fail to wrap up its remaining nine spending bills and instead pass a continuing resolution A continuing resolution is a type of appropriations legislation used by the United States Congress to fund government agencies if a formal appropriations bill has not been signed into law by the end of the Congressional fiscal year. to keep the government running. Their other option is to wrap them into one massive catch-all funding measure. ``The federal government has been on automatic pilot since last September,'' Sherman said. ``It's a dereliction of duty Dereliction of duty is a specific offense in military law. It includes various elements centered around the avoidance of any duty which may be properly expected. In the U.S. - all of us should have our pay delayed.' Rep. Howard Berman Howard Lawrence "Howie" Berman (born April 15 1941) has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1983, representing the 28th District of California (map). , D-Van Nuys, predicted a wide-ranging immigration reform Immigration reform is the common term used in political discussions regarding changes to immigration policy. In a certain sense, reform can be general enough to include promoted, expanded, or open immigration, but in reality discussions of reform often deal with the aspect of bill he introduced last year would go nowhere. The bill, dubbed AgJobs, would allow about 500,000 undocumented agricultural workers and their families to gain legal status. About 125 House members support the measure, including Reps. Adam Schiff
Adam B. Schiff (born June 20 1960) is an American politician. He first served in the California State Senate. , D-Pasadena and David Dreier David Timothy Dreier (born July 5, 1952), American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since January 1981, representing California's 26th congressional district (map). He was first elected to the U.S. House at age 28 in 1980. , R-Glendora. Dreier and Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Thousand Oaks, did not return phone calls. ``I don't have any hope that any immigration issues will be seriously dealt with, including my AgJobs bill,'' Berman said. ``Really controversial things like that just aren't going to be dealt with.'' And while Berman said he was confident that copyright reform legislation would pass, possibly Wednesday, tough intellectual property measures aimed at protecting Hollywood movies from illegal Internet downloads probably won't. Berman has been working with House Judiciary subcommittee Chairman Lamar Smith, R-Texas, to increase jail time for people who illegally share copyrighted movies and music over the Internet. Schiff sponsored legislation creating a new U.S. Trade Representative office dedicated to securing intellectual property protections in international trade agreements. Schiff said he is more hopeful about his local bill aimed at creating a national recreation area in the Rim of the Valley corridor. The measure would give the Interior Department three years to recommend whether the mountains above the San Fernando, La Crescenta, Santa Clarita, Simi and Conejo valleys should become part of the U.S. parks system. National property-rights groups have opposed the bill, but the House Resources Committee - led by property-rights champion Richard Pombo, R- Stockton - gave it the thumbs up. The Senate also has passed a version, and Schiff said he believes the bill ``has a shot'' at final passage this week. A Senate measure by Dianne Feinstein to make membership in a street gang a federal crime will have to wait until next year, as will Senate bills addressing piracy and identity theft, spokesman Scott Gerber said. Lisa Friedman, (202) 662-8731 lisa.friedman(at)langnews.com |
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